Fort San Pedro
Destination no. 4
Fort San Pedro (Fuerza de San Pedro)
is the oldest and smallest triangular bastion fort in Cebu City. Fort San Pedro was built in the year 1738 and was the focus of Spanish settlement in the country. The fort also served as a stronghold for the revolutionaries of Philippines.
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| an illustration of the Fuerza de San Pedro looked like in 1565 |
The fort is triangular in shape, with two sides facing the sea and the third side fronting the land. The two sides facing the sea were defended with artillery and the front with a strong palisade made of wood. The three bastions were named La Concepción (SW);Ignacio de Loyola (SE), and San Miguel (NE). It has a total inside area of 2,025 sq. meters. The walls are 20 feet (6.1 m) high, 8 feet (2.4 m) thick and the towers are 30 feet (9.1 m) high from the ground level. The circumference is 1,248 feet (380 m). The sides are of unequal lengths and the one fronting the city is where one may find entry into the Fort. Fourteen cannons were mounted in their emplacements most of which are still there today. Work first started on May 8, 1565 with Miguel Lopéz de Legazpi breaking ground.
Little was known about the activity of the fort from the time it was built until two centuries later in 1739 when the King of Spain, Philip II desired information regarding the island of Cebu, Governor General Tanon, who was the Spanish ruler of the Islands at the time made the following reports:
Fuerza San Pedro, the fort is described as built of stone mortar with a terraplein where guns are mounted. The fort contains the necessary buildings. The largest of these buildings was the "Cuerpo de Guardia" where the personnel that manned the fort lived. Adjacent to it was the "Vivende del Teniente" which was the living quarters of the lieutenant of the Fort. In between the aforementioned buildings is a well. At one corner attached to the walls of the bastion San Miguel (NE) was the "Alamazaros del Rivera" (powder magazine where the fort's supply or arms and gunpowder from Manila were stored).
Adult Php 30.00
Children php 20.00
National Museum
At present, it is under the care and administration of the City of Cebu, as historical park. The land on which it is situated is, however, owned by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
These days, part of the fort is a museum. Inside the fort houses the legacies of the Spanish Government. The well preserved Spanish artifacts such as Spanish documents, paintings and sculpture. A large statue of Legazpi and Antonio Pigafetta may be seen outside the fort walls.
sources: wikipedia.com
Read more about this trip! CEBU
- Grand Tierra Suites
- Joven's Grill and Seafoods
- Basilica Minore del Santo Niño
- Magellan's Cross
- Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral
- Larsian sa Fuente
- Cnt Lechon
- The Tops
- Asia Town I.T. Park
- Body and Sole
- Taoist and Phu Sian Temple
- Spaghetti Factory
- Taboan Market
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